A special briefing event on Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) for local authority planners organised by The National Insulation Association (NIA) and Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in conjunction with the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has received positive feedback from attendees.

The event raised awareness of the importance of SWI within the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation, the different types of external and internal SWI, solutions and finishes available, installation techniques and the support available for Local Authorities from the NIA and its members. It also highlighted the recent changes on permitted development rights affecting external SWI which means that in most cases planning permission will not be required.

The event which took place at City Hall, London, on 4th April was attended by over 40 planners from the London Boroughs. One in four of Britain’s hard to treat homes are located in London which is why the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is working closely with the government, Green Deal Providers and installers to provide solutions. The Mayor’s home retrofit programme, RE:NEW, will publish toolkits next month to support London boroughs to maximise local powers, such as planning, to encourage wide scale take-up of SWI and other critical measures supported by the Green Deal.

Neil Marshall Chief Executive of the NIA commented: "We were very pleased to be able to support DECC and the Greater London Authority in this important initiative. There are around 7 million homes that require SWI and Local Authorities will have a key role to play in achieving this. Therefore it is vital to ensure that they are armed with the most up to date information about SWI. We now look forward to working with DECC in rolling out this initiative nationally over the coming months."

Stephen Ryman from the Department of Energy and Climate Change commented: "The new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation will provide a massive boost for solid wall insulation uptake over the coming years, while the 'permitted development' clarifications published have removed an additional planning barrier for many people intending to put solid wall insulation on their houses.

"We are very happy to be running this series of Solid Wall workshops; the London event on the 4th was the first in a national roadshow programme, designed to assist local authorities across the country in providing residents with the best advice and guidance on solid wall insulation projects."

The next event to be held on Thursday 9th May in Preston with further national venues and dates to follow.

The event was supported by exhibitors from the NIA and the Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency which launched its 25 year Guarantee for SWI earlier this year.

For more information about the NIA and its services please contact: Bev Coombe, Membership and Communications Manager; on 01525 383313 or email bev.coombe@nia-uk.org

To find a local NIA member, householders and landlords should visit the NIA website www.nia-uk.org or call 08451 636363.